Conservation around the UK…

Saltmarsh in the heart of the . Chris Gibson

The Essex coast ’ ’ more desolate region can scarce be Overview The coastline of Essex is conceived, and yet it is not without beauty.’ Summarised and updated from Gibson 2003. long, intricate and starkly A It is perhaps surprising that Reverend Baring-Gould’s description of the Essex coast, from Habitats beautiful. As well as his 1880 novel Mehalah, is as appropriate today As evidenced by the near-continuous suite of sites being the winter home as when it was first written. Despite the immense of national and international importance (SSSI, for huge aggregations changes wrought by the 20th century – intensive SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites), extending even over of waterbirds, it provides agriculture, urban expansion and industrial some of the most heavily developed frontages, the important habitat for development – which have eroded the essential Essex coast is of exceptional wildlife value. many rare plants and wildness of our coastline, it is still of national and The major habitat groups can conveniently be international significance for wildlife. And it is here divided by the seawall, itself a linear grassland of specialised invertebrates. for all to enjoy: some 15 million people live within considerable value. Outside the seawall, in the There are also serious an hour’s drive of the Essex coast. active coastal process zone, management is largely management challenges Essex has one of the longest coastlines of left to the sea, as it reforms and reshapes habitats, as balance is sought any English county. As the brent goose flies, while inside, more traditional human interventions between the pressures Manningtree to Purfleet, on the borders of Suffolk are required. of climate change and and Greater London respectively, are only 80km The most extensive intertidal habitats are found apart, but following the twists and turns around in the sheltered estuaries, where the finest particles human intrusion, and the estuaries and islands, the coast is more than 500km of suspended material (silt) are deposited. Mudflats need to safeguard this long. The coastline is a mosaic of habitats, from are formed at lower tidal levels, and contain a important landscape, as open sea, through mudflats and saltmarshes to rich invertebrate fauna, thriving on twice-daily Chris Gibson describes. the seawalls and grazing marshes. Each is home inundation by detritus-rich waters; in turn, this to outstanding wildlife, forming one of the most productivity supports internationally significant important areas of relatively undeveloped coastline populations of wetland birds. Continued deposition Copyright © Britishin the southern North Sea, although Wildlife each is subject raises the surface higher in the tidal range, until the to human and other pressures which require point where more terrestrial, albeit salt-tolerant, management. vegetation can survive, forming saltmarshes. The

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saltmarshes became brackish grazing marsh. By adding gulls, offshore seabirds and Where these have survived later drainage and other uncounted birds and stretches of coast, conversion to arable, they provide a valuable the Essex coast is home to more than half-a- adjunct habitat for wintering waterbirds, breeding million waterbirds each winter. The Siberian- habitat for some wildfowl and waders, and feeding breeding dark-bellied brent goose epitomises the areas for raptors. Grazing marsh vegetation reflects international importance of the Essex coast: almost its brackish nature, often with extensive stands a half of the world population winters on English of strawberry clover, hairy buttercup and spiny coastlines, and half of those do so in Essex. restharrow. Ditches ramifying through the grazing Of course, wintering waterbirds are not the only marshes are especially brackish, supporting distinct birds of interest. Several species (e.g. redshank, communities of specialised plants and invertebrates lapwing and shelduck) also breed, primarily on land which thrive in those conditions. managed specifically for them; raptors and owls While much of the coastal hinterland is now hunt over the marshes, particularly in winter; and intensive agriculture or urban, in a few places saltmarshes are an essential winter food source for semi-natural habitats complete the coastal suite, seed-eating birds, including twite and corn bunting. including woodland and coastal grassland. The Each Essex coastal habitat is characterised large reservoir at Abberton is only 2km from the by plants that have adaptations to cope with , their birds showing regular the various environmental stresses. The table  Dark-bellied brent goose, icon of the Esssex coast. Chris Gibson interchange. Especially by the Thames, large below includes those with a conservation status tracts of formerly industrial brownfield land have of near threatened or greater, based on IUCN developed considerable wildlife value, especially (International Union for Conservation of Nature) for invertebrates, reflecting the warm microclimate criteria, plus a selection now evaluated as least of the Thames Estuary and proximity to sources concern but which previously were considered of colonisation from the Continent. Pride of place nationally scarce or rare, simply on the basis of the among these is Canvey Wick SSSI, designated number of 10km squares occupied (see box below). specifically for its brownfield invertebrates, the As might be expected, given the range of highest concentration of rare species at any site in specialised habitats and plants, the Essex coast is the country. also home to many rare and localised invertebrates. Underlying many of these habitats, there are Of the two eponymous county insects, the Essex several SSSIs notified for their geological interest. skipper is widespread and often abundant, Most dramatically, the cliffs at Walton-on-the-Naze especially on seawalls, as over much of south- give a window into two key geological periods: eastern England; sadly, however, for reasons not when London Clay was laid down some 50 million entirely clear the Essex emerald moth became years ago, and Red Crag, a three-million-year-old extinct nationally in the 1990s. Two extant  Fisher's estuarine moth, restricted to  Annual sea-purslane – rarest plant beach deposit, the stratigraphic variation of fossils macromoths of importance are the ground lackey, north Essex and north Kent. Chris Gibson of the Essex coast – at its only British site.  Top Extensive Thames-side Essex coast is especially important for saltmarshes, therein providing the earliest accessible evidence of whose larvae live in conspicuous communal ‘nests’ Chris Gibson mudflats, of great wildlife value supporting around one tenth of the total UK the onset of the last ice age. on saltmarshes, and Fisher’s estuarine moth, despite the largely developed frontage. Chris Gibson resource. These range from low marsh dominated feeding on hog’s-fennel and consequently restricted Mudflats Dwarf eel-grass VU; Common eel-grass NT by annuals such as glasswort, through middle Species to the north Essex and north Kent coasts.  Bottom The Naze cliffs, marsh, characterised by saltmarsh-grasses and sea- Each of the constituent estuaries is of international The seawalls support strong populations of Saltmarsh Annual sea-purslane CR; Small cord-grass EN; largely still allowed to erode as a Borrer’s saltmarsh-grass VU; Golden-samphire LC; necessary source of sediment for lavenders, to upper, shrubby marsh at the highest significance for one or more species of wintering Roesel’s bush-cricket, the heartland from which it the rest of the Essex coast. tidal levels. waterbird. Typical figures, summarised from the has colonised most of southern England over the Shrubby sea-blite LC; Perennial glasswort LC; Chris Gibson More localised deposits of coarser sand, shingle Wetland Bird Survey programme and rounded to past 20 years. Similarly, the grazing marsh ditches One-flowered glasswort LC; Marsh-mallow LC; Annual beard-grass LC; Lax-flowered sea-lavender LC; and shell provide additional, supratidal habitats. the nearest thousand, are shown in the table below. have served as a springboard for establishment of Curved hard-grass LC Necessarily tolerant of salt spray, drought and rare Odonata: scarce emerald and willow emerald Shell, shingle and sand Prickly saltwort VU; Bur medick VU; Sea-heath NT; mechanical disturbance from wave action, typical damselflies are now well-established, and the National Site Average total waterbirds Sea pea LC; Dune fescue LC; Bulbous meadow-grass LC; plants include sea-holly and marram grass on sand, rank (winter 2010–11 to 2014–15)* southern migrant hawker seems to be following Suffocated clover LC; Ray’s knotgrass LC; and yellow horned-poppy and sea kale on shell and 4 Thames** 170,000 suit. Tendring rock sea-lavender W; Rush-leaved fescue W; shingle. 16 Blackwater 75,000 Bermuda grass W Beyond the mudflats, the shallow sea is highly Conservation management 19 52,000 Seawalls Least lettuce EN; Slender tare VU; Sea barley VU; turbid but supports shellfish, including native ‘Traditional’ conservation land management Slender hare’s-ear VU; Hog’s-fennel LC; Sea clover LC; 20 Dengie 52,000 oysters, now largely outcompeted by non-native is largely restricted to the habitats inside the Stiff saltmarsh-grass LC escapes from mariculture. Fish populations 22 Stour*** 50,000 seawall, where grazing, mowing and rotational Grazing marsh Stinking goosefoot EN; Divided sedge VU; Mousetail VU; Abberton Spiral tasselweed NT; Saltmarsh goosefoot LC; Dittander LC; (particularly sprats) in the outer Thames support 31 34,000 ditch clearance are the essential activities needed the largest winter aggregation of red-throated divers Reservoir to maintain them. Given the 80% loss of grazing Brackish water-crowfoot LC in the country, together with seals and harbour 39 Colne 29,000 marshes over the 20th century, there is also Coastal grassland Deptford pink EN; Hartwort EN; Bithynian vetch VU; Clustered clover LC; Early meadow-grass LC; porpoises. 42 Crouch/Roach 28,000 an imperative to restore at least some of the Bird’s-foot fenugreek LC; Hairy vetchling W Seawalls have been built around the Essex coast * Excludes gulls and terns, which are not counted at every site. functionality of the former marshes. Drained marsh Copyright © British WildlifeIUCN categories: CR critically endangered; EN endangered; VU vulnerable; since the Middle Ages to facilitate agricultural ** Includes Maplin Sands and part of the Kent shore. has been sown back to permanent grassland to NT near-threatened; LC least concern; W waiting list, for further investigation. management. Out of the tidal regime, the enwalled *** Includes the Suffolk shore. provide alternative feeding for brent geese, scared

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 Managed realignment at of the south-east following the retreat of the last relationships between statutory and voluntary Abbotts Hall, Blackwater Estuary. glaciation, and a not-so-natural rise in sea level bodies in delivering very significant managed The breach is visible top right. Chris Gibson (and enhanced storminess) through climate change realignments continue to this day, with reservations and thermal expansion of the seas. Saltmarsh that some of the identified requirement to offset instability means that the extensive grazing of the negative impacts of longer-term flood-risk sheep, as used effectively further north and west, management strategies (designed to cover 100- on the other side of the isostatic seesaw, cannot be year periods) may never be delivered. Especially safely used in Essex: lose the saltmarshes to erosion when legal drivers arise out of EU legislative by sea or stock, and you lose both a wildlife habitat requirements, the future must be treated as highly and a vital first line of sea-defence. Fortunately, uncertain. the biodiversity value of seawalls has now been Since 2000, again exemplifying the cooperative recognised, and the Environment Agency (EA), approach, steps have been taken to try and address manager of most of this resource, is seeking to the severe but diffuse issues of too many people adopt more ecologically sensitive management wanting to do too many things (particularly noisy wherever possible (Gardiner et al. 2015). ones, such as jet-skiing) in too small an area. It is tempting to devolve all habitat management Stakeholder meetings and agreements, well- in the active coastal process zone to the dynamism coordinated by Essex, Colchester and Maldon of the sea. However, direct intervention by humans Councils made substantial progress. However, from winter crops. Recently, on the Thames legislation, such as water pollution, from all sources is necessary when those processes run up against pressures have continued to grow, with increasing  Top Mudflats, saltmarsh and especially, landscape-scale land-use changes, except agricultural run-off. Likewise, land-claim, hard barriers we have created: rising sea levels leisure demands and house-building targets. With a rare woodland transition zone, driven by the need to offset harm from sea-defence the seaward extension of dry land onto important erode the saltmarshes, squeezing them between worsening financial constraints in the public sector . Chris Gibson schemes and industrial developments, have intertidal habitats, is now the exception rather than an advancing tide-line and fixed sea-defences. (and, it would seem, growing risk-aversity), the  Bottom Saltmarsh developing incorporated such habitat restorations. the norm. In Essex, coastal squeeze solutions have been leadership coming from the councils, Natural in the Tollesbury managed Outside the seawall, the conservation challenges Perhaps more of a problem, given its huge and identified, trialled and implemented – notably, England and EA has been substantially curtailed. realignment. The seawall breach is just visible, top right. are more diverse. Some have been well-addressed, increasing scale, is that of too many people wanting managed realignment, where land is returned The priority for the future has to be to restore this Chris Gibson particularly through the requirements of European to live near and visit the Essex coast. Every new to the active process zone through deliberately leadership, rebalance the cooperative approach, household adds to the ecological footprint; every breaching the sea-defences. From the germ of an retain the precautionary principle in seeking to visitor creates the potential for harm, in particular idea in the 1980s, to now an accepted solution manage activities, and always remember the  Integrating the needs through disturbance. Tackling such large-scale for many coastal management issues, in Britain importance of respecting natural change and of wildlife and the wishes of recreational and other users human proximity issues is by necessity complex and elsewhere in the world, this is the real legacy dynamism – working with nature rather than remains a key challenge. and resource-consuming, and sadly the application of recent conservation management on the Essex against it. Chris Gibson of the precautionary principle to address piecemeal coast. attrition seems to have fallen out of political favour. Natural England’s coast path, is a plan on Coordination and cooperation one hand welcome, enabling fuller appreciation The Essex coast was not really on the conservation of the sometimes-hidden wildlife riches, but on radar until around 1970, when the government the other a risk. The route must avoid sensitive approved plans to build a new London Airport on features, and there must be appropriate presence Maplin Sands. Fledgling environmental impact and enforcement available to control those who assessment recognised the harm this would cause, would abuse the new opportunities, otherwise the and the government therefore set about enhancing initiative will destroy the very thing it set out to the protection of much of the rest of the coast celebrate. by creating a series of National Nature Reserves. The seawall itself also needs managing, not From the outset, the statutory sector (Nature least because colonisation by scrub (and then Conservancy, and successor bodies; together with rabbits and badgers) can compromise its Essex County Council and some District Councils) defensive role against surge tides. The standard worked collectively and collaboratively with the method, mowing the entire seawall of Essex over voluntary sector (Essex Naturalists’ [now Wildlife] a two-month period in late summer, is simple Trust, RSPB and National Trust) to tackle this and effective in flood management terms, but huge job of conserving the Essex coast. In the produces a rank, near-monoculture of sea couch. event, the airport was not built but the collective Bespoke mowing regimes are in place in a few responsibility remained intact: in essence, different Dr Chris Gibson has recently taken early retirement after 31 years with Nature Conservancy Council, English Nature and areas, especially to promote hog’s-fennel and bodies agreed (informally) to lead on different Natural England, for much of that time helping to put the Fisher’s estuarine moth around Hamford Water, estuaries, but with a statutory overview by way of Essex coast on the map. Email: chrismothman@btinternet. and elsewhere grazing has been used to try and coordination. com; website: www.chrisgibsonwildlife.co.uk encourage diversity. However, this is problematic, Moving towards the end of the last century, and given the need to fence stock out of the saltmarshes recognition of the need to address coastal squeeze References due to their inherent instability in the face of sea strategically, the cooperative approach continued, Gardiner, T, Pilcher, R & Wade, M 2015 Sea Wall Biodiversity Copyrightlevel rise. Put simply, the saltmarshes are at risk © Britishand indeed was enhanced by the Wildlifeengagement Handbook. RPS. from two interacting phenomena: a natural rise in of the flood risk management agency (National Gibson, C. 2003 The Essex coast: Its Wildlife and Conservation. sea level due to the ongoing isostatic settlement Rivers Authority, now EA). Such collaborative English Nature.

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